Kerala is beautiful, but riding on the national highway in Kerala is far less amazing. We've spent the last few days plying NH 17 as we've moved up the coast toward the beaches in Kannur and Bekal, by and large uninspiring days of riding. The dust and exhaust on the highways finds its way into every little crease on my face, so by the end of the day I've got enough dust caked on my face that it looks like I'm wearing eye liner. Even so, it is still an enteraining way to spend a day and you usually encounter a fair share of random acts of kindness from strangers along the road. It's amazing how a few encouraging words or a cup of tea from random people on the road make up for a day of sucking in dust and exhaust.
The beaches in Kannur and Bekal have been worth the ride, large sandy expanses minus the overwhelming masses of people. Swimming in the Arabian Sea has been a pleasantly warm experience, like swimming in a giant bathtub full of sand. After spending a day at the beach I now know how all those coconuts make it from the top of the tree to roadside where they provide such a delicious treat in the middle of the day. Apparently the best way to climb a palm tree is to place a cord of rope around your feet that prevents them sliding off the side of the tree, and then shimmying up the trunk. I have the feeling that it is much more difficult than it looks, and in the interest of staying healthy for the duration of this trip something I don't plan on trying anytime soon. A direct benefit of this display of tree climbing prowess was a fresh coconut milk provided by the local tree scaler. Again random acts generosity make for a better day. Now we have a few days to wander the coast of Bekal and search out uninhabited stretches of coast line to bake our skin on.
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